The Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) Mr C.Y. Lam and Assistant Director Mr. H.G. Wai visited the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) in Beijing during 17-18 December 2008.  They met with the Administrator Dr. Zheng Guoguang, Deputy Administrator Mrs. Jiao Meiyan, Director of Department of Forecasting Services and Disaster Mitigation Dr. Zhai Panmao, Director of Department of International Cooperation Mr. Yu Jixin and Director of the National Meteorological Centre Dr. Duan Yihong to review the cooperation between the Administration and the Observatory over the past two years and laid down the direction for future cooperation.

The same weather systems affect Hong Kong and the Mainland China all year round.  The HKO and CMA have been working hand in hand in weather forecasting for over thirty years.  The cooperation became even closer after an "Arrangement on Long Term Cooperation" was signed in 2001.  Under the "Arrangement", senior management of both services would meet once every two years to review the cooperation and make plans for the future.

In this senior level meeting, both sides were very pleased with the cooperation in data sharing, forecasting techniques and services, climate change etc in the past two years and agreed to strengthen the cooperation and exchanges in the years to come.

Mr. C.Y. Lam and Mr. H.G. Wai also took the opportunity to visit the National Meteorological Centre and the Beijing Meteorological Bureau to study the operations of the national weather forecasting service and meteorological support provided to 2008 Beijing Olympic Game.

The Director of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) Mr C.Y. Lam and Assistant Director Mr. H.G. Wai at meeting with the Administrator Dr. Zheng Guoguang, Deputy Administrator Mrs. Jiao Meiyan of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA)
(Photo by courtesy of www.cma.gov)
 

Director of the National Meteorological Centre Dr. Duan Yihong (centre) showed Director of the Hong Kong Observatory Mr C.Y. Lam around the Centre